Anomaly
by TheGoodLiving
Summary: Lydia has been sent back home after her Thane has decided the coming path is too rocky. However after tasting adventure on the road sitting around in a house all day is too monotonous. After deciding the Companions could keep her plenty busy she quickly realizes upon introductions to a doe eyed, bright faced young woman who seems starkly out of place, that she might have been right
1. Chapter 1-First Impressions

Disclaimer: Skyrim does not belong to me. Arin is my only creation.

xxxx

I sighed for the hundredth time despite myself and Kodlak's stare was on me, again, before I could wince.

We'd been sitting here for ages and conversation died off a long time ago. If it wasn't for the shouting outside and the brawls that broke out in intervals I'd have suffocated in the silence. Why Kodlak insisted we wait for this woman I couldn't fathom.

I got here by first light and we'd been sitting since. It was midday now and my chair made my hips cramp and Kodlak's gaze was beginning to irk me.

If I could I would've busied myself with a drink but it turned out Kodlak had none of it in his chambers. I'd have to wait until I got upstairs to catch some relief and the way my tongue scraped against my dry lips at the thought made me very aware of how _far away_ that notion could end up becoming.

It didn't help that Kodlak had been staring since my arrival. Nazzim forewarned he'd do it out of excitement but hearing of it, and feeling it for half a day were very separate experiences.

What I couldn't understand was why. Why sit all day for someone when I could've filled the time with something useful, like moving my things into the dormitories. Maybe I could've gotten Farkas to explain some more about living with the Companions, like if I'd survive it.

I know the noise was a formidable opponent on its own.

The warriors itself, I reckoned I could take. They were hotblooded, and eager. Hotblooded and eager tended not to have brains yet, and they were always the first and easiest to take down in Dragonsreach.

I'd have questioned Kodlak about his choice to sit and do nothing but I couldn't bring myself to be disrespectful. Sitting in this chair in the same position since dawn with his eyes down my soul however made me stiff and antsy.

I needed a walk. To stretch my legs and get some water down my dry throat before I croaked so I went to excuse myself to do just that when Farkas peaked through the large oak doors with a glint of excitement.

"She's here, Harbinger."

The large man perked up, mirth seeping into his eyes as he stood. "Wonderful!" he said and had me remain until he retrieved her.

At that point I crumbled into my chair. My stiff, hard, wooden chair that I'd grown a dislikening to in the past age and a half I'd spent sitting in it.

It was a second of relative-Companion riddled-silence before the thought occurred and I jumped out of my seat and took a happy-if not efforted from the heavy cuirass-stretch, complete with shameless groans of satisfaction. They doubled for releasing agitation.

Kodlak left a silence behind him-as silent as it could be with rowdy young warriors bouncing around in the halls-and it was so light and free with the absence of his admittedly agitating stare that I took every moment of it to relish.

I didn't know how long the introductions would be, and my mouth still yearned for that drink like no other so I had to steel myself.

I hadn't heard much about the woman since the introductions to the others. I only knew she'd be coming from Cyrodiil and from how the others acted, she was an old friend. And significant, it seemed, for Kodlak only introduced me to the important ones. And we'd been waiting all day.

Much to the dismay of the lower half of my body.

I didn't mind the waiting, until it turned into _extended_ waiting in which Kodlak would fish around inside my skin with his intensity. At first I took simple notice of it, but long enough in front of it with no breaks in between wore steadily on my nerves until I was ready to punch him in the face.

Nazzim would probably be surprised by that, I'd have to find out after sending letter to him tomorrow.

I hadn't heard them approach on part of the ruckus outside and it wasn't until the doors creaked open that I'd known of their arrival.

I'd imagine I wore an amusing expression for the slender woman, _much_ shorter than Kodlak and even a little off from myself carried a hint of glee in her eyes when she came in.

I froze there for a while, beside the table. I hadn't been doing anything embarrassment worthy but still, Kodlak left me sitting, a part of me felt off for him to return to me standing midstretch.

"Lydia, this is Arin of Cyrodiil."

She was clad in sand and navy colored robes from the head down. The only flesh on her was her face and hands. The rest was cloth, save for her boots which oddly enough were tipped in onyx which shined like metal.

I returned the greeting, stepping forward to take her hand in a shake and her skin was soft, but her grip had some strength to it that I wasn't expecting. She had caramel skin, though not dark enough to be redguard. She didn't have the features either, nor the build if I'm being honest

I didn't bother to explain what they'd walked in on, hadn't a clue how to even begin that, so we took our seats together. Her beside Kodlak on the other side of the table. I offered a pathetic smile that was all thin lines and quirked eyebrows.

I'm horrendous at introductions, especially the formal ones.

How I managed through three of them I couldn't explain.

She wore a simple expression. Her eyes were large ponds that looked like liquid chocolate and I paused at first at the sheer softnessof them. There was delicacy to the way she moved and when she sat she perched her hands between her legs and grinned, arguably the same grin I gave her. Except maybe a bit more graceful.

"Arin's taught us a lot in her time with us." Kodlak's voice was warm nectar now where it was stoic stone all day. And there was mirth in his eyes. It intrigued me.

What could this small little imperial have done to earn such a reaction out of a hardened man? 'Imperial', I used loosely for she didn't look like any Imperial I'd ever seen. Imperials didn't wear headdresses, not the cloth bound one around her whole head at least, that was more of a redguard ware. And they didn't have mahogany hair, which I'd only deduced from her eyebrows. But she was- _apparently_ -an Imperial, which I'd heard from Farkas and Aela in passing.

The benign way she smiled at me-eyes all warm and kind-had me wondering what she was doing in such a rough and obtrusive place. She struck me as a young girl. But the swell in her robes told me she was very much a woman.

I couldn't help but feel she didn't belong here. The fact that Kodlak-even sitting down-dwarfed her, with his scarred face and dented armor so dark and worn next to her, didn't do well to encourage the opposite.

"Kodlak's told me much about you." she said and her voice was a small one, but it had a timber to it that surprised me.

"He's told me almost nothing about you." I admitted, partly afraid to offend once it was out of my mouth but the mirth in her large eyes assured me otherwise as the sun broke out on her face when she smiled.

"He likes to keep me a surprise. I'm not sure why. Entertainment probably."

I blinked, puzzlement seeping in as I tilted my head and she mimicked me with a playful grin. The deep blue cloth dome atop her head tilting with her.

"Why is that?"

She shrugged, a quick and innocent bounce, and her shoulders hadn't looked more dainty. "People find me surprising." the deep chuckle beside her caught her attention and it only made me frown deeper.

She looked up at the mirthful man and feigned a disapproving frown, which only came across more endearing than threatening. "And Kodlak's got far too much time on his hands."

I cracked up, pleasantly surprised as Kodlak choked and a lightly scandalized look found purchase on his face. She merely returned it with a happy smile and laughed to herself when he didn't look away.

She patted him on the shoulder and it only made him seem more disgruntled.

"Besides, it wasn't fully confirmed if I'd come or not. It'd be a waste to make such a fuss for me not to arrive in the end."

"Arin's here to observe, and to train if she sees fit." his deep voice was a gruff contrast to her soft one, though the lingering offense in it probably played a factor.

"Train?" I hadn't meant to offend but I couldn't wrestle away the sheer confusion from my face and voice for the life of me.

What could she possibly teach me, restoration?

From what I heard Tilda was very much a qualified healer. And even then, I could always go back to Dragonsreach and request the healers there if I was in such need.

Granted it was a smart idea to be familiar with the art in case I needed it. Shouldn't leave to others what can be done on your own.

I supposed I could get on board with the idea.

"Yes, train." Kodlak confirmed. "Arin's made men out of a lot of the Companions in the past. The older ones at least."

The curious frown found its way on my face again. And I found my head tilting. Arin seemed delighted by it for a bright smile splayed her lips and a happy laugh left her.

How in _oblivion_ did she do that?

" _How_ ," Arin blinked, unfazed and glowing. "Did she do that, exactly?"

The way Kodlak said it made it out like she'd whipped them into shape, like she'd carved them out of stone with her bare hands. Like she kicked them around like puppies and he'd found great entertainment from it. And it only confused me more.

A happy bounce caught my attention and I looked to Arin to catch her at the end of her shrug. She lifted her hands out of her lap to fold them on the table, the tan cloth pooling on the surface.

"People find me surprising." Arin repeated. "Though admittedly that only depends on the person."

"What does that mean?"

"It means if one isn't quick to judge, and lets me show them who I am it wouldn't be so surprising without a premature judgment to compare it to."

That made me blink, and it stroked an intrigue in me that wasn't potent enough to distract from the embarrassment pooling in me. I felt like I'd been caught mid crime.

"To be fair you make quite the first impression."

The sigh she gave seemed like a pained one but the way it came out was comparable to a child sighing at adult problems. I almost laughed.

"Yes well, I'd come to terms with that a long time ago."

I couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled out of me. "You don't seem very enthused about it."

She shrugged. "Being misunderstood grows old quickly."

I blinked, pursing my lips before smacking them. "Well, I'll do my best not to." though admittedly I wasn't doing a very good job. But I _would_ try to restrain the prejudgment from then on. Although my insides were still screaming in confusion what this woman could possibly teach me.

I paused though. Maybe she was capable of beating me into the dirt, I'd have to give her that respect. It wasn't so hard to swallow when I let the presumptions go, I really _didn't_ know. And if it turned out to be true I'd be the asshole at the end of it.

"Still, I'd like to know what you could teach me."

"That we'd have to learn together. Different people learn different things, and I can't assume just by looking at you what you've yet to understand. They'll turn up eventually."

"Fair enough."

"Kodlak's told me about your training. I understand you've had a great many years of learning."

I took a deep breath. Made aware again how dry my mouth still was and how much I yearned for a water. I nodded though, and licked my lips.

"I've trained a great deal of my life. I'm of many generations of Housecarls and we're brought up to prepare for the Whiterun Thane when we've come of age. If the current Thane already has a Housecarl the next in line serves to protect the city. The last Thane passed of old age not long ago and my father,-his Housecarl-passed not long after. The Dragonborn is the first to succeed him. And the first Thane I served."

A mahogany brow quirked. "Served?"

"We had great adventures together, but where he's going is a lot more dangerous than he'd anticipated. I'd protested on many occasions but he's a stubborn man. As his Housecarl I'm to respect that. As his friend-" her head tilted as she watched me. Curious eyes gleaming, absent of judgement. A small chuckle left me. "As his friend I'm allowed to call him an icebrain."

Chuckles filled the room. Giggles from Arin, whose smile rivaled the sun.

"Does it not bother you to have served for only a short time for someone you've prepared so long for?"

I shrugged, a much less enthusiastic one than Arin's, but it was equally sincere. "I hadn't spent my life preparing for this one particular moment. Serving a Thane is an honorable position, and I'm glad to have done it, but in my time before him I've served my city in the guard for a very long time. I've got no qualms with where my life has gone, I think it only serves to put a sour taste in your mouth."

Silence took us then, but it wasn't an uneasy one for Arin's expressions were reflective. And Kodlak merely watched Arin.

"It sounds like you were happy there." a glint caught my eye from her sleeves. Light gleamed off an onyx material reminiscent to the one on her boots. This close I could tell it was metal. I couldn't make out what it was. "What brings you to the Companions?"

Initially I hummed at the question. Finally raising my gaze to meet a big brown one. It was saturated in mischief and amusement. And I couldn't bring myself to break contact with it to watch her pull her sleeves down over her wrists.

"Oh, well, in my absence there were some changes made in the guard that renders me unable to take up my previous position." an interested eyebrow rose at that. "And I do hate to sit around doing nothing." I think I winced then, looking to Kodlak before I could stop myself and finding pursed lips. I shrunk a little. "I assumed the Companions would keep me well busy."

"They'll keep you busy indeed." Arin said. "I do hope you'll learn a lot here. I know I have."

"It seems if things go in that direction, you'll be taking part in it." I pointed out and she grinned. "I'm looking forward to that."

"As am I."

Kodlak gave me until the end of the day to move everything into the whelp's quarters. As soon as introductions were done I went straight to Breezehome.

I was partly still indignant about having to relocate. Jorrvaskr was hot, sweaty, and obnoxious. Most of the warriors were all explosives and no fuse and the only off button I could think up for them was death.

Hot blooded, and young. And the only ones who seemed an inkling of calm were the older ones. The ones with older looking scars and stubble on their cheeks. Who almost never brawled unless it was with someone equally matched, which meant older looking scars and stubble on their cheeks.

They didn't cheer like the others did when brawls broke out, they laughed mostly, and they watched from a distance. Sometimes they'd be with Aela sometimes with Vilkas. Who did the same thing.

It took countless negotiations with the Dragonborn to come to an agreement of my coming here. Agreement meaning that I'd gotten absolutely none of my requests.

Apparently retiring to Breezehome at night took away from the experience, and he was adamant on my living every facet of this faction life to the fullest, having lived a short time with them himself. It was mostly request on his part, and when I'd told him I planned on joining he got excited.

I was ready to leave the first time I stepped in. To a ruckus so restless and a musk that was almost putrid. The courtyards were never so unruly in Dragonsreach. The guards were dignified and discussion was of assignments around the city or diplomatic treks to others.

Here everything was about the best kill in the plains and how many bandits were taken down before the first scratch.

I wanted to be cross with Nazzim for insisting that I sleep here, but he wasn't a man of shallow action. If he was insistent, there was a reason for it. I assumed part of it was guilt for having me turn home, but there was always a bigger picture with him.

It was excruciating sometimes.

I wanted to return to Dragonsreach when he told me the news, get back to serving the city. I enjoyed it, it served much more of a purpose than being around sweaty, soft-jawed, barbarians all day. And it was orderly.

Which I liked.

And it allowed me the freedom to command my men.

I could tell there would be none of that here. Here there was a rank. Granted there was one in Dragonsreach as well, but it was less pressing on my patience to be captain of the Watch than being a whelp of the Companions.

From what I'd gathered of the thoughtless eagerness of the younger ones, there would be a lot of status establishment in my first several days if they'll be as naively self assured as I expect them to be.

Nazzim begged me to be on my best behavior, but my only request was to take peace in Breezehome at the end of every day.

I suppose we'll both have to be disappointed.


	2. Chapter 2-Budding Friendships

Disclaimer: Skyrim does not belong to me.

xxxx

With a twisted face I scraped my palm against my greaves and only felt more warm slush cover my skin. I sighed, but it came out more like a disgusted groan as I flung my hands about and thick brown goo sloshed onto the grass.

My second skin of troll slime made it even hotter under the blaring sun, I felt stuffy and it didn't do much for my mood to feel something hot and sticky running down my neck. My stomach turned, I tried not to think about it. The smell made it difficult.

The thought of returning to a sweaty building with a scorching fire pit didn't appeal to me. But the idea of a good bath called just fine despite the looming apprehension. I never seen them, but if the facilities were any reflection of the occupants I'd be better off using Nazzim's bathouse before reporting to Aela. Nazzim hadn't mentioned anything about taking to Breezehome in the day, and technically the baths weren't _in_ the building.

Kodlak seemed the type to prefer for us not to track guts into the establishment anyhow. Jorrvaskr was surprisingly clean for the amount of careless bodies passing in and out of it. And it only ever smelled of musk and sweat. Nothing of blood or guts or whatever other residuals one could take from a task. Considering the tasks the Companions were known to take on, the fact was significant.

Despite the stench and sludge the cool breeze against what bare patches of my flesh peaked through did wonders for my mood. And walking since sunrise made up for all the sitting I'd done yesterday.

It felt good to be in open space. Living on the road those brief seasons with Nazzim sprouted a love for mobility in me. Travel was new, having grown up mostly within the city. Open breeze was a sentiment I was only getting used to. After spending half a sun barely spared by sweaty warriors in a crowded building it was a g-ds-send.

And after my extended time in Kodlak's chairs, walking was particularly satisfying.

Farkas fell into a quiet lull beside me, only the shifting of his armor clinked with mine as we walked. He'd kick a pebble every now and then, give out a sigh. Flick some muck off his arm. I didn't spare him many but every glance gave a view of his absently grinning-slightly smudged-face. The others teased his intelligence a lot, I came to find, but he was a good fighter. A lumbery one, if I could call it that. Heavy footed, and he used his strength more than anything. He wasn't very agile, nor did he fight with strategy from what I observed. But I'd only seen him fight today, perhaps he fought differently in different situations. He was dancing in his boots when Aela assigned him to accompany me on my task, we hadn't spoken much since meeting, but he was quickly the one I liked the most.

He was the least hostile.

" _So_ ," he managed to chirp with such a gruff voice. Troll stained excitement stared back at me when I looked at him. I would've thought he was thrilled about something, but he may have looked like that all the time. "How did you like your first task?"

I shrugged, and a glob of green muck slipped off my shoulder guard. "I enjoyed it. It was very good exercise."

Some incredulous noise came from next to me and I followed it to find Farkas' disbelieving stare. I looked away, Dragonsreach loomed in the distance and Breezehome's bathhouse sang like a choir, I looked back to Farkas still staring.

"Exercise is _good for you_!" I squeaked, a little disgruntled under his gaze.

"Just, just," Farkas held up a troll slimed hand as he nursed his forehead in the other one. I cringed at that. "Hold on.. That's _all_ you can say? We just cleared a whole cave of _trolls_! Just the two of us! You don't find any more excitement from that?"

I considered it for a moment, eyes drifting to the swaying trees in the distance.

"It was fun, truly. Had my blood pumping. But I've had a fair share of creatures a lot bigger than trolls in my time."

"Right." Farkas a large hand. "Slaying dragons with the Dragonborn must be far more thrilling than a cave full of trolls. I forget.

"Eh, it's alright-" the accusatory look he gave me made me laugh and I shook my head. "Yes Farkas, it was _thrilling_. Very much so. You never feel that level of adrenaline from anything else in your life. Your heart pounds in your ears and your guts dance in your throat. You sweat like no other and you're acutely aware that in that moment your life is really on the line." I gave him a grin that was mostly coaxed by the youthful excitement spilling back into his eyes. "One slip can end you. You don't feel that kind of danger with anything else. Makes you see how easily life can slip away. It's exciting actually. And refreshing."

"In what way?"

"When you're groomed to act and think a certain way because of some rigid perspectives on how life is supposed to unfold and you come up against a creature that can take it from you with a flick in the right place, it makes it clear how bogus some beliefs can be."

When Farkas didn't respond for a while I spared him a glance. He pursed his lips and his eyes flitted here and there, like he was trying to comprehend something. He nodded though, slow and unsure. I only chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"It shakes up the monotonous mundane everyone loves to cuddle up in all their lives."

The next seconds of watching Farkas' puzzlement _blossom_ had me waving my hands, like I could bat my message from his quickly overloading mind.

"Thrilling." I told him instead. "It's thrilling."

He was disgruntled for a little while more before he nodded. I wanted to pat him on the shoulder again, apologize for making him think too much but I resisted. Occupying myself with watching Dragonsreach grow as we gradually approached. Farkas didn't strike any more conversation for a while. I allowed the silence, he probably needed the time to recover before interacting again and it was fine, I preferred silence anyway. Talking distracted from the blanket of guts and troll blood I wore though, and without it, the stench and slime and heat was all I could think about.

Ugh, I couldn't wait to get to the bathouse.

"Would Kodlak be opposed to our strolling into Jorrvaskr like this?"

A sly chuckle burbled beside me and I grew curious from the knowing amusement in it. "No, Kodlak doesn't much care. He's the typical hotblooded warrior only now he's got the wisdom and brains of an old man. It's Tilda that would rip the head off of anyone who tracked _anything_ back home. We're not allowed to walk into Jorrvaskr soaked in, _whatever_. Everyone has to clean off first. And no ones allowed to take home any trophies until they've cleaned it off."

"Trophies?"

The grin sprouted back on his face as he produced the bloodied, battered, slime soaked troll's head he carried in his knapsack. The three open eyes stared blankly ahead, the right one blood red.

Oh.

Farkas stroked the mangled thing with affection. "Yea, I'm going to have to clean this baby up before I bring it anywhere near Jorrvaskr."

"Where are you going to do that?"

"There's a great stream that runs parallel to the river near Whiterun some leagues apart. I use that to clean off whatever I bring home. And if the mess is bad enough I take a dip in it also. Some of the Companions have caught wind of it but the newer ones use the main river sometimes. If I catch them I beat their heads in, I don't like guts in my drinking water. The ones I don't catch I hope the guards knock into shape-"

"Oh they do." I said with sharp conviction. Posting watch on the river supply was one of the first orders I made when I took Watch Captain. Ruffians came and soiled the water supply sometimes, usually out of ignorance and carelessness. I liked to handle the offenders personally.

Farkas chuckled, "Right, I heard on occasion some bruised up New Bloods whining about getting their asses handed to them by some hard jawed guard with a steel face and a mean sword arm."

Fair enough.

"Rowdy as we are, the Companions don't stand for ignorance. There's honor under all the shouting. At least the authentic of us."

"Mm," I hummed, soaking in everything he said. "I see."

"Most of the young bucks in there aren't Companion material. Maybe they'll come back down the road when they're ready, but the next couple days I and my siblings have a lot of pruning to do." Farkas rubbed his palms together, fresh excitement spilling on his face. "I can't _wait_!"

xxxx

Farkas and I split up once we hit the bottom of the hill to the Whiterun gates. At first I contemplated whether Aela would be agitated if I deferred reporting back for a bath and a change of ware but after Farkas' amused explanation cleaning up was probably a requirement so I detoured as well and stopped at Breezehome for a wash and to change. I left my first set of armor to soak before sliding the new one on, the second identical to the first.

The sun hung low in the sky by the time I finished and I wrung my hair out as I strolled to the Wind District. It felt good to be clean and the cool breeze against my skin made me sing on the inside. Even the new armor felt good, like a fresh pair of linens.

I couldn't find Farkas when I entered Jorrvaskr. Unsure of whether he returned or not I tracked down Tilda for a mead and thanked her with some gold. She gave me the fiercest face and all but smacked my hand away and clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"There'll be none of that here." she chastised. "Jorrvaskr is a home, not an inn. My warriors don't pay for nothing here."

My words died in my throat and for a while I couldn't think of anything to say. I only blinked and nodded and stuttered a thank you. I rose my bottle in a pathetic attempt to retain the awkward smog looming in me and she simply smiled a big smile and patted my shoulder before walking off.

I sighed, leaning up against a railing as I took a cold drink. I only spoke to Tilda one time in passing. She stunned me, and the residual reflectiveness from hearing Farkas call Jorrvaskr home more than once on our way here only made it more profound. I looked around, finding young faces and old and armor that ranged from worn out to still shining. I recognized some of them from my rounds in the Watch.

Tilda calling me one of hers puzzled me. It felt premature.

Farkas pushed through the dining hall doors before I thought too much on it, with a washed, moist, and _groomed_ troll's head under his arm. He spotted me not very long after and the steady warmth in his eyes blossomed into sincere delight as he waved. I returned it as he pushed his way over.

He jammed his fist into my shoulder and it was stone against me but I didn't budge, he smiled. I grinned a surprisingly sincere grin and nodded, a second greeting. He boomed a happy laugh and leaned beside me.

"I can't wait to put this up on my wall."

"I fear what questionable things you may have holed up in your chambers, Farkas."

He grew thoughtful, then nodded. "People have expressed shock from what's in there, it wouldn't be the first time. And I can't blame them."

The thoughtless look he gave me afterward made me chuckle. "I like you, Farkas."

"I as well, Lydia!" he boomed and it surprised me how a burly man could have such a lighthearted joy about him. "We should report back to Aela before the night is over, she has a thing about punctuality."

I hardly made out his words the entire time but reading his lips got easier as I grew accustomed to it. Screaming to carry a conversation and needing to be extremely close just to pick up a syllable would still take some getting used to, however.

Having so many bodies pushed together still disgruntled me but I took joy in shoving past them. Hearing grunts as I pushed through coaxed a surprising satisfaction in me. The dining hall still thundered with activity but it wasn't as loud as the other times.

Ria and Torvar spoke at the hall table over some mead. Ria sat in a chair as Torvar leaned up against the table with his bottle hanging from one of his crossed arms. One ankle laid over the other, tapping. He leaned forward a little to hear her better, but he wore a grin and they laughed together in intervals.

Farkas led the way toward the sleeping quarters and we brushed past a group of thinner fighters, young in the face and one of the loudest. Their sword hilts didn't have much wear on them. The scabbards were still polished. They hardly registered us shoving through, too busy bouncing animated stories off each other. Some Companions sat alone, sipping a mead and resting their feet. A young man with muddled brown hair and a bright pink slice below his eye leaned against a table surrounded by a small group of others just as young. He told his day's journey to the audience, and he spoke with his hands. They inflated with excitement as he pointed at his gash and traded impressed looks with each other before goading for more.

Farkas climbed the hall steps two at a time, and the Companions above them were calmer.

Muscled warriors stood, burly and chiseled. They didn't shout like the others did save only to hear each other speak. They wore dinged armor and scarred flesh. Their grins were solid and their laughter carried maturity. Most of them crossed their arms over broad chests or sat silently. They told stories too, only when they spoke it was conversation and communication. It was companion admiration and opinions. When their weapons were out it was to sharpen them, and to grind out the chips peppering scratched metal. Their jokes were inside ones and the few that took up an arm competition did so with muted glee. These Companions nodded to Farkas when we passed by, giving him a grin or rose their mead where the others tripped all over themselves.

Tilda dragged a cloth over an empty table when we made it to the stairs. She shot us a smile and waved before we descended.

The sleep quarters reflected the dining hall on a smaller scale, only the young and excited overtook the older and seasoned. The New Bloods tended to flock down in the Whelps' quarters. That wasn't good news to me considering I'd have to sleep in it from now on. More Whelps meant more noise. And I treasured my sleep dearly. I treasured the _quiet_ dearly.

"Aela's probably in Kodlak's chamber with the others."

My throat tightened for some reason, hesitance sprouting. I didn't intimidate easy but handling the Circle members at once took an apparent effect on me. Something about them made me pensive, and even Farkas-whose company I'd begun to enjoy-brought with him a residual air of _something_ that I couldn't shake. I didn't mind being in a room full of them-much-but I still preferred not to be. And if they were all together then they very well likely may be having an important discussion. I was going to bring it up to Farkas but he seemed intent on seeing the others so I didn't bother.

The oak doors creaked open before we could reach them though, and three figures spilled out led by fiery red hair that stood the tallest of all of them. Two sets of silver eyes stabbed me where I stood, prodding me. I frowned, watching them watch me. The first two towered over the third, whose cloth bound head barely peaked over the backs of their shoulders.

Aela crossed pale arms chiseled from marble. Vilkas mirrored shortly after, face exactly like his brother's only sharper and sleek. And he was lean where Farkas was brawn. And the dinges in his dark armor were slashes and scuffs, while Farkas bore dents. He clenched his sharp jaw, eyeing me with a taste of expectancy.

"Whelp." he addressed me. And even his voice nearly sounded like his brother's but cold as stone and just as hard.

"You're nearly late, Whelp." her stoic lull made my neck hairs flex. Voice vague with distant threat that prodded my flesh in odd ways.

"I wasn't aware there was a deadline."

"For my tasks there are." her deep voice threaded through sharp words like whispered power and burning hostility. "Whelps flock to this place by the day. If a simple task can't be done on time we'll easily find another with clearer priorities."

"Well it's barely sundown." I stated, meeting her scowl and watching it narrow. "I finished your task just fine."

"You've cut it real close. Do hasten yourself next time."

Vilkas' wide chest rose under his crossed arms, he never looked away from me and the burn I felt from his stare made me feel stuffy all over again.

"I'll keep it in mind."

"It'd do you good." Vilkas said.

I didn't reply, there was nothing to say, so I simply stared back, jaw clenched and muscles tight. Ready, for some reason, for a fight.

A caramel hand slid between them and pushed their shoulders apart. Arin's warm face emerged like the sun through clouds.

"Hey, Lydia!" she peeped and the sheer joy of it confounded me as she stood there, beaming like no other in between two hard jawed warriors who hadn't stopped glaring at me. "I hear Aela sent you out to clear a cave."

When I nodded she only smiled brighter. "Aye."

"How was it?"

I thought for a moment, pursed my lips. "It was crowded."

Farkas exploded in laughter, and admittedly I jumped because I'd forgotten he was next to me. Arin giggled, delighted.

"Because of your experience Aela decided you'd need something more challenging."

"Farkas aided me though." did it really count?

"As least as possible." Arin clarified. "He was meant to observe you." her soft brown eyes flickered to him. "I'm sure we'll have much to discuss tonight."

I looked over to see him nodding, Arin grinned. "She's great!" Farkas enthused. "I hope she makes the weeding process."

"I'm sure she will." Vilkas broke his glare to look at her, I narrowed my eyes, watchful. "After all, running around Skyrim slaying dragons with the Dovahkiin should make for good practice."

"It only means I can slay dragons." I cut in, and I felt all their eyes flicker to me at once. "It could have nothing to do with what's expected of me here."

A shade of satisfaction blossomed in her eyes. "Analytical." she said. "A very good quality to have."

"An important one." I offered instead. "If one intends on surviving longer than a season."

"Agreed." a loud clank started up beside her and I followed the noise to find Aela's metal tipped boot tapping. Arin glanced at it for a second before watching me again. "You should get some rest. There'll be a lot of sparring tomorrow, nothing you can't handle I'm sure. The four of us have some things to discuss."

She patted my shoulder guard on her way past me and the others pooled after her, Aela grinding her shoulder guard with my own upon her exit.

"It'll be in the courtyard. Don't drag your feet to this one, Whelp."

xxxx

Hi all! Hope you're liking the story so far. Not much plot as of yet but some things should be unfolding soon. Admittedly I'm just taking things a chapter at a time but I do have plans for how I want things to go. Just a fair warning though, this story will be femslash for anyone who doesn't particularly like it. For those who do, welcome! And good to know you're still here! Leave a review if you'd like, what you like, your opinions on the characters, the pacing, the story. And thank you to those who followed the story, thank you thank you! See you next chapter.

Have a great day!


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